San Francisco 49ers

Lore & Background

The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and joined the NFL in 1949 when the leagues merged. The 49ers were the first major professional sports team based in San Francisco. They are the 10th-oldest franchise in the NFL, and have been owned and operated by Italian Americans (the Morabito and DeBartolo families) since their inception. The team played at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco before moving to Candlestick Park in 1971 and then to Levi's Stadium in 2014. Since 1988, the 49ers have been headquartered in Santa Clara. The 49ers won five Super Bowl championships between 1981 and 1994. Four of those came in the 1980s, and were led by Hall of Famers Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, Steve Young, Charles Haley, Fred Dean, and coaches Bill Walsh and George Seifert. They were division champions 22 times between 1970 and 2023. The 49ers are tied with the New England Patriots for most playoff wins (40) in NFL history, having been in the league playoffs 30 times (29 times in the NFL and one time in the AAFC), and have also played in the most NFC Championship Games (19), hosting 11 of them, also an NFC record. The team has set numerous NFL records, including most consecutive away games won (18), most consecutive seasons leading the league in scoring (4), most consecutive games scored (420 games from 1977 to 2004), most field goals in a season (44), most games won in a season (18), and most touchdowns (8) and points scored (55) in a Super Bowl. In 2025, 9.2% of the franchise was sold to various groups in two separate transactions which valued the team at $8.5 billion, the largest valuation in NFL history. The stake was sold to several investors in Atherton and Menlo Park including 3.1% to the family of Vinod Khosla and 3.2% to Pete Briger Jr. of Fortress Investment Group. In June 2023, the enterprise branch of the 49ers bought English soccer club Leeds United; in May 2025, it acquired 51% of Scottish soccer club Rangers F.C.

In Their Own Story

The stadium hummed with tension under the floodlights. On one sideline, the 49ers' defense held firm, looking to silence the red-clad offense. On the other, Kansas City huddled tight, trailing by double digits at halftime. It wasn't just a game; it was a reckoning for championship legitimacy. The quarterback scanned the secondary, knowing history demanded more than perfection—it required resilience. As the clock wound down in the fourth quarter, one play would define another chapter in this fierce modern war.

Reader's Guide

The 49ers were an original member of the AAFC and joined the NFL in 1950. In 1957, after owner Tony Morabito died of a heart attack during a game, the team won 21–17. The 49ers were known in the 1950s for the 'Million Dollar Backfield' of Y. A. Tittle, John Henry Johnson, Hugh McElhenny, and Joe Perry. In 1960, coach Red Hickey devised the shotgun formation, which the team first used to beat the Baltimore Colts. In 1970, under coach Dick Nolan, the 49ers won their first NFC West title and reached the NFC Championship Game, losing to the Dallas Cowboys. They repeated as division champions in 1971, again losing to the Cowboys in the NFC Championship.

Did You Know?

• The 49ers were the first major professional sports team based in San Francisco.
• The team's shotgun formation was named by coach Red Hickey in 1960.
• The 49ers won five Super Bowl championships between 1981 and 1994.
• In 2025, the franchise was valued at $8.5 billion, the largest valuation in NFL history.